Abdominal support.



M. B. RIDER.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8. I915.

1 1 88,205. Patented J une 20, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

M. B. RIDER.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORT.

\PPUCATQN. FILED NOV. 8- 1915- 1 ,1 88,205. I Patented June 20, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

MAUD B. RIDER, OFMUSCATINE, IOWA.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 20, 1916.

Application filed November 8, 1915. Serial No. 60,323.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, MAUI) B. RIDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muscatine. in the county of Muscatine and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Abdominal Supports; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof. reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to abdominal supports, and has for its object to provide an article. of the character referred to adapted to support and hold the abdomen up to its natural place instead of pushing down and out of place as is liable to occur with articles of the same general character as heretofore constructed, and is particularly designed for use in holding the abdomen up tight after an operation and to avoid ruptures.

'The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In said drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved abdominal support, illustrating its application to a live model; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an abdominal support embodying my invention adapted for use on men; and Fig. 4 is a detail transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a modified form of the invention, omitting the elastic gores which are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, over the hips, and showing the sev eral sections of the support opened out horizontally.

Referring to said drawings, in which the same letters of reference are used to denote corresponding parts in different views, the letter A .may denote the front section of the support to which' may be connected along vertical lines sections B and C, preferably by means of eyelets and laces, to permit the sections to be drawn closely together or separated to a greater or less extent, though other suitable fastening means capable of adjustment to permit enlargement or contraction may be employed. One of the side portions or sections as section B is preferably of much less Width than the other, as C, which is preferably of suflicient width to extend around and across the back from its connection with section A to the hip portion farthest from said connection,. Where it connects with the side portion or section B, and decreases in height from both ends toward the middle thereof, so as not to extend too high in the back and to conform to the shape of the body of the wearer; the connected sections together forming a structure adapted to embrace and fit closely about the abdominal regions, sloping inwardly at the bottom. Straps a of fabric or other suitable material suspended from the support have fastening means thereon by which said straps may be secured to the stockings worn by the user, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The several sections are preferably provided with pockets to receive stays of steel, whalebone or the like, and the section C is formed or provided with an elastic gore or portion 0, at the back, which gives or yields as the wearer bends and keeps the front from drawing too tight, thus contributing to the comfort of the wearer. This elastic gore as shown is inthe form of an insert and preferably does not extend entirely from the top to the bottom of the section 0 but part way only from the bottom, approximately about midway of the height thereof, thus holding the lower edge firm but allowing elasticity to the support at that portion thereof where it is intended that it should fit closely around the abdominal regions of the wearer. ,The upper marginal portion of the garment is intended to fit snugly around the waist of the wearer, and is preferably non-elastic though adjustable to permit its application to persons of different sizes. It may also be desirable to provide an elastic gore in one or both sides, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, over the hips, as at 0, preferably of triangular form, with the wider part thereof at the lower edge and extending upwardly to a point about midway the height of said side portion, so as to give greater elasticity to the support along its lower portion, though the latter elastic feature or features may be omitted. The front section A, as shown, is of about the same height as the adjacent edges of the side sections connected therewith while the latter gradually decrease in height toward the back and said section A is widest at the top and gradually decreases in width toward its lower end, thus adapting the article to conform to the shape of the body and giving ease and comfort to the wearer. The sections A, B, (J, may be reinforced at their margins by stays of whalebone or other suitable material, and preferably a single stay I) is pocketed in each of the side portions B and C outside of the row of eyelets therein which receive the cord or string for connecting it with theadjaceut front section, while the latter is provided with elastic strips or stays E on each side of each row or series of eyelets therein for the lacing, which gives the desired rigidity and strength. One or both joints between adjacent sections A B and A C may be covered on the inner side of the support by a strip F of fabric or other suitable material spanning the joint and united along its edges to the two sections by stitching a seam or otherwise.

To adapt the abdominal support to be worn by men, it may be provided with pendant strips a, at opposite sides thereof, as shown'in Fig. 3, each strip having a leather or other suitable strap a secured to its lower end and provided with a buckle or other suitable fastening means for securing the straps around the wearers legs.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An abdominal support comprising a front section tapered toward its lower edge and side sections of fabric of different widths detachably secured to said front section along approximately ,vertical downwardly converging lines, in front of the hips, so as to permit enlargement or contraction; said sections together forming a structure adapted to embrace and fit closely about the abdominal regions, sloping inwardly at its bottom or lower edge; one of said side sections being narrow and located over one hip, and the other extending from its connection with said front section around the other hip and across the back to the other side section and increasing in width from an. intern'iedia'te point toward both ends.

2. An abdominal support comprising a front downwardly tapered section of fabric having fastening straps depending from its lower edge, and side sections of different widths adjustably secured to said front section along approximately vertical downwardly converging lines, in front of the hips, so as to permit enlargement or contraction; one of said side sections being narrow and located over one hip and the other extending from its connection with said front section around the other hip and across the back to the other side section and having an elastic insert in the back portion thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix-my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MAUD B. RIDER.

Witnesses Lnu BAKER, B. M. WILLIAMS. 

